Improved sail



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

ILIIRAM BROWN, vOF CAPE ELIZABETH, MAINE.

IMPROVED SAIL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 55,236, dated J une 5, 1866.

To all whom tt may concern Be it known that I, HIRAM BROWN, of Cape Elizabeth, in the county of Cumberland and State Of Maine, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sails Of Vessels; and I hereby declare the following to be-a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use myinvention, reference being made to the drawings accompanying this specification and formiu g part thereof', in which- Figure l shows aview of 4a sail with my improvement employed thereon Fig.2,the same reefed; Fig. 3, a vertical section of a sail and the center yard, illustrating the method Of attachment. I

The object of my invention is to produce a more convenient and speedy method offurling and reeting sails Of vessels than the common one generally in use on shipboard.

It consists in a whole or single sail havinga center yard, the sail being attached to the yard in the manner hereinafter set forth, and this-in conjunction with a certain other device, also to be described.

In the accompanying drawings, S shows a top-sail held between the two yards A and B, and having the center yard, C. This yard is stationary, and is secured to the mast in the ordinary manner. The sail is connected with this yard by means of the band D, extending the width of thc sail. This is illustrated in Fig. 3.

rIhe attachment maybe made by any of the methods in common use for such purposeseither by a rod running along the spar and passing through rings in the band, or by loops, Src., or it may be. connected by short ropes around the spar. By this method the sail can be made of a single piece of canvas and be securely held to the yard, and be easily and promptly reefed and furled.

My invention is, superior to the double topsail in the following particulars, t0 Wit: There is no wind lost between the sails. The sail sets better on the wind. 'The loss of the yard does not loose the sail, as it would still be a single top-sail. Itis also superior to the single top-sail in the facility of reeling, better setting ofthe sail On the wind, and the greater strength. imparted to the sail by the yard. In comparison with the double top-sail, it saves the expense ot' a foot-rope, the clew-irons, one pair OfcleW-lines, and two chain-sheets. Moreover, the chafing is lessened immediately above or Opposite the center yard.

In the sail are the two eyelets it', passing through the chucks or sheaves at c and j' On the mast, through the sheaves at d d on the upper yard, then through the eyelets t' i, and, finally, secured on the upper yard at li h, are seen the spilling-lines s s, to conne the sail while being furled or reefed. These lines are made fast at the rack near the bottom Of the mast.

When the sail is furled or reefed the slack is taken in from the deck of the vessel.

My improved sail is furled as follows: Drop the upper yard, haul up th-e reef-jigs and spilling-lines, clew up that portion of the sail below the center yard, after casting Off the stops and earings from the lower yard, and pass the gaskets. It is reefed as follows: Drop the upper yard, haul up the reef-jigs and spillinglines, then knot your points, the same as in the common sail.

I am aware of the existence vof Letters Patent issued to Frederick Howes, and dated June 20, 1854; but my invention does not embrace any of the matters comprised in his claim.

I do not claim the extra yard secured to a top-rail by a crane or truss Or other equivalent means 5 but b What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In conjunction with the supplementary reeling-yard, the use of the 'band D to attach the sail to the center yard, as described, for

`the purposes set forth. 2. The combination of the spilling-lines, arranged as specified, with the eyelets t' i, with the supplementary reeling-yard, Vas described.

HIBAM BROWN.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. CLIFFORD, HENRY C. HOUSTON. 

